CLIMB EVERY MOUNTAIN

Left: Peter Climbing in Pakistan. Richmond-based writer and photographer Peter Watson has hiked to the top of all 41 mountains in the Yorkshire Dales National Park. Originally focused on climbing the Seven Summits – the highest mountain on every continent.

IThe Yorkshire resident adapted his plans when the COVID-19 pandemic hit. With international travel on hold, he transferred his attention to completing the magnificent micro-mountains of the Yorkshire Dales National Park instead.

In 2018, the keen outdoorsman moved to the Yorkshire market town of Richmond on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales National Park after growing tired of living in London. Peter initially used the odd weekend here and there to tick off a couple of peaks at a time, squeezed in between a hectic schedule of international travel for his job as a travel writer and photographer. When the pandemic arrived, severely impacting his ability to work and travel, he accelerated his hiking program in the Yorkshire Dales.

In the UK, 2,000ft is widely accepted as the benchmark height for when a hill is promoted to the lofty ranks of a mountain. Until recently, the Yorkshire Dales were home to 40 such landforms. However, in 2016, Calf Top was re-categorised as a mountain after Ordnance Survey recalculated its height to 2000.02ft (609.606m), slightly above the threshold.

A former teacher turned writer, photographer and founder of outdoor travel blog Atlas & Boots, in 2014 Peter Watson (36), quit his teaching and spent a year travelling around the South Pacific and South America. En route he launched Atlas & Boots with his partner, author Kia Abdullah. A keen trekker and climber Peter has visited over 80 countries.

When I first moved to the Dales I attended an evening at the Richmond Walking & Book Festival where a local hiking guide gave a presentation about the highest mountains in the area. I thought, “what better way to get to know my new neighbourhood than climbing all its mountains?”. Next, I created a personalised Google Map of all the mountains so I could plan the order in which to climb them.

I kicked things off by hiking Great Shunner Fell located in the Northern Dales, between Wensleydale and Swaledale. At 716m (2,340ft), it is the third highest peak in the national park. Despite its height, it has a reasonably gentle ascent along a well-trodden trail with little opportunity for error. A great place to start.

I finished with the park’s – and England’s – newest mountain, Calf Top. I thought about leaving Whernside – which at 736m (2,415ft) is the park’s highest peak – until last. But early in the challenge, I found myself in the Western Dales and just couldn’t resist ticking it off. Calf Top seemed like an appropriate place to wrap the challenge up.

Over two years ago I climbed my first Yorkshire Dales National Park mountain. I didn’t set out with a time frame in mind, I just wanted an excuse to go hiking regularly. Travelling a lot for work often means I am out of the country for long periods of time. However, when the pandemic hit I couldn’t travel so it proved the perfect opportunity to complete this challenge. Over the last few months, I started bagging peaks much more quickly, trying to get into the Dales as often as I could and cross off a few peaks at a time. The most I managed to climb in one day was seven when I spent a long day hiking in the Howgill Fells near Sedbergh.

This image: Great Shunner Fell Below: Richmond

It’s difficult to choose a favourite peak, but I really enjoyed Ingleborough as I went up there in February during some unusually warm weather for that time of year. A proper little mountain, Ingleborough has some fun scrambles, a wonderful summit plateau and some of the best views in the Dales. I combined the peak with Simon’s Fell, a nearby summit which few others seem to make the extra effort to visit. I’d recommend taking on any of the peaks in the Howgills, a much quieter corner of the Dales, with some fine scenery including deep ravines, craggy cliffs and dramatic waterfalls.

Even though it’s the lowest, Calf Top also has some of the best views in the whole Yorkshire Dales National Park. You can see all the way out to the sea on England’s west coast.

Next I’ll be working my way through that challenge to climb the Seven Summits, the highest mountain on every continent. So far, I’ve climbed four: Kilimanjaro in Africa, Elbrus in Europe, Kosciuszko in Oceania and most recently Aconcagua in South America.

My plans are currently on hold due to the pandemic so I’m not sure when I’ll get the chance to have a crack at the next one. I still have Denali in North America, Vinson in Antarctica and Everest in Asia. I also aim to summit Puncak Jaya in Indonesia to complete the two separate versions of the Seven Summits lists, the first of which restricts Oceania to Australia while the second includes the islands of the Indian and Pacific oceans.

Image: Eskholme Pike near Calf Top

Closer to home, there are 180 mountains over 2,000ft in England. I’ve climbed around 60 of them so perhaps I’ll get started on the rest. With around 95% of them in the north of England, most are within relatively easy reach.

For me climbing all 41 of the Yorkshire Dales National Park’s mountains was a great way of exploring the outdoors during lockdown and getting to know my local area. Engaging with nature and getting into being outside has proven mental and physical health benefits, Alfiya Stephenson (podcast episode 4) Voices from Herriot Countryparticularly important under lockdown.

I would urge anyone who is finding life difficult in these times to pick their own micro-adventure or create a micro-challenge to complete. It could be ‘10 local trails’ or ‘20 hills over 500m’, it doesn’t really matter what it is or how long it takes. With normal life so restricted at the moment, it’s more important than ever to get outside, get into nature and disconnect.

Image: Peter on the summit of Aconcagua, the highest mountain in the Americas Image: Peter on the summit of Elbrus, Europe’s highest mountain